Pages

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Books, Inq. — The Epilogue: Solitary reader ...

Books, Inq. — The Epilogue: Solitary reader ...
Excerpt:
America, as Hoffer rightly understood, was exceptional: “Only here, in America,” he wrote, “were the common folk of the Old World given a chance to show what they could do on their own, without a master to push and order them about.” It was the practicality of working people, untutored by intellectuals, that was integral to America’s success. “Scribe-dominated” societies, he argued, derived “a rare satisfaction from tearing tangible things out of the hands of practical people. .  .  . America is the only country where the masses have impressed their tastes and values on the whole of the country.”
....[and oh boy the 'masters' don't like it....]

No comments:

Post a Comment